Woman killed in late-night fire

A woman died at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis after being rescued from a Wednesday night house fire in Nutbush, officials said.

The woman, discovered by firefighters in a one-story house in the 3700 block of Orchi near Jackson, was transported in critical condition to The Med, where she died later, according to a statement released by Battalion Chief Keith Staples.

Firefighters found the woman while searching the house where a bedroom fire was reported about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, according to Memphis Fire Department officials.

A man had escaped from the blaze before firefighters arrived and was treated at The Med for smoke inhalation, fire officials reported. On Thursday, neighbors said the man had been released.

The woman's cause of death will be determined by the Shelby County medical examiner's office and her age and identity were not released pending positive identification and notification of kin, according to Staples.

However, Ashley Dillon, 34, said the woman who died was her mother, Tami Rachel Cekala, whose age in public records is listed as 54.

Dillon said Cekala lived with her boyfriend, Jerry W. Spencer, 61, in the home damaged by the fire. On Thursday, burned dressers and pink insulation were piled in the front yard.

Dillon, who stood behind the burned house with red eyes while she smoked a cigarette, said she learned of her mother's death Thanksgiving morning.

"She wasn't planning on doing anything (for Thanksgiving)," Dillon said. "She always cooked. She's the type of person who's cooking as long as she has a kitchen."

Cekala was very ill because she had diabetes, which went untreated, Dillon said.

Two neighbors, Catrina Denniston, who will be 36 on Monday, and Dallas Ezell, 51, said that power in the neighborhood went out shortly before the fire.

Ezell said he lit a candle when the power went out about 10:20 p.m. and about 15 minutes later he heard someone hollering.

"I figured it was somebody on some bad drugs or something and they went on for about 10 minutes and then I heard a firetruck pull up. I looked out my window and there were flames shooting out his bedroom," he said.